Council considers purchase of fire boats

Clarion Top News

Thursday, 27 February 2020 10:54

by Marth Smith

Scottsboro Fire Chief Gene Necklaus presented the recommendation for the purchase of two fire boats at the last City Council work session held on Monday, February 17, 2020. Necklaus stated that ideally two boats housed in the County Park/City Park area and Goose Pond would best serve in an emergency considering the distance between the two and the size of the service area. Having two slips would mean a better response time and arrival of help since only having one slip would add 20 to 25 minutes of response time in either direction. Necklaus stated there have been times they’ve had to commandeer a vessel from a private citizen or be given a ride out to someone in trouble on the water. In consideration of the recent marina fire, the dock was only 30% engulfed when the SFD arrived, but because the fire was at the entry to the marina, emergency services were landlocked where they stood and were not able to go around to the other end. Necklaus reported the boats would help service roughly 70,000 square feet of covered marina at County Park, an estimated 250,000 square feet of covered marina at Goose Pond, approximately 3,000 acres of lake and the hundreds of visitors who come to the water for fishing or pleasure boating. Necklaus has also looked into the training that would consist of courses with the Coast Guard and a marine firefighting course, and he said everyone would be trained. Council is awaiting the next meeting on March 2nd to hear from Goose Pond and the Jackson County Commission as far as some funding and a boat slip is concerned.

The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) kits around town are in need of new pads and batteries. It’s been over 10 years since they were installed in key locations around Scottsboro. The AEDs at the Police Department, Scottsboro Library, City Hall, Civic Center, Senior Center and Boys & Girls Club have expired parts at a cost of $1,470 to the city. This was moved to the next meeting.